for you, your home and the planet

Tag: lifestyle

A quick search of the internet for some nifty ways to cut your carbon footprint will bring up all sorts of tips and tricks, whilst some others are handed down by word of mouth. But which of these quick fixes really work, and which have deviated from the truth in translation? Here are the top eight myths and musts of home energy saving according to … Continue reading Top 8 Energy Saving Myths & Musts

Repainting your old furniture is a very simple yet effective way of transforming the look of your home. Shabby Chic is the perfect style for the amateur design DIY-er. There’s no such thing as perfection in the world of shabby chic, and anyone can have a go at it. It’s all about experimentation, simplicity, and the little imperfections that make your home yours. You’ll need … Continue reading Shabby Chic Furniture Recipe

Ecofans generate their own electricity through the heat emitted by the stove beneath. The base needs to be in contact with a heat source of at least 65°C whilst the top of the fan must remain cool as the fan needs to be able to draw cooler air from behind in order to do its job. The heat source, the cooler air, and the rotation … Continue reading Caframo Ecofans from Celtic Sustainables

We have somehow already arrived at the ninth month of the year; the month that brings Autumn to British shores. September, with its blackberries, grey mornings, and reddening leaves, is full of inspiring imagery and rich colours, all enveloped in a mood that brings us back to nature in time to wrap up for the cold weather to come. The colours and textures we find … Continue reading Decorating for the four Seasons: reflecting the outdoors

When we hosted our first furniture painting course in July this year, we all turned up with very different pieces of furniture and some varied tales behind the pieces we’d chosen to paint. One lovely set of drawers had been picked up just that morning from a local antiques shop, whilst a beautiful dining chair had been sitting with the rest of its set around … Continue reading How to Shop for Furniture

The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) is this week celebrating its 40th birthday. The Centre has been promoting renewable energy solutions from a disused quarry in Machynlleth since 1974, and many of the technologies it pioneered have since moved into the mainstream. If you’re yet to make plans for Saturday, head to the Centre where a birthday celebration will be underway, with workshops, music, talks, … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Centre for Alternative Technology!

The first example of British wallpaper was found at Christ’s College, Cambridge, printed on the back of documents dated 1509. The paper was in the fashionable Italian damask, mimicking materials such as embossed leather and plasterwork. The designs were block printed onto small sheets, with the overall pattern only becoming obvious when everything was brought together on the wall. Block-printing was done with a block … Continue reading A Bit on British Wallpaper

Last Saturday, we teamed up with Jennie of Tatanne Bazaar to host our very first shabby chic furniture painting class. It couldn’t have been any better. Jennie guided us through the process of turning a dull wooden object into something full of character, and each of our pieces had a wonderful new personality by 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Take a look at the process in … Continue reading In Pictures: Celtic Sustainables & Tatanne Bazaar furniture painting class

I was high on the feel-goodness of my first Sunday’s volunteering at Denmark Farm Conservation Centre, so I committed myself to a whole weekend of it a fortnight later. Day One -Long Wood Community Woodland I heard about the Long Wood Community Woodland green build project from Gary at the farm, and arranged to help out with the build last Saturday 12th July. Long Wood … Continue reading Ben’s volunteering Blog: Days Two & Three at Long Wood and Denmark Farm

Permaculture is all about living harmoniously with our natural environment. Centred on growing food that is native and beneficial to the local area, permaculture also includes everything from sustainable building and renewable energy, to entertainment and waste management. Self-sufficiency Living a strict permaculture lifestyle would mean achieving total self-sufficiency, but there is plenty about the permaculture way of living that everyone can take something from. … Continue reading What is Permaculture?